Carquinez goldenbush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carquinez goldenbush |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Isocoma
|
| Species: |
arguta
|
| Synonyms | |
|
|
The Isocoma arguta, also known as the Carquinez goldenbush, is a very special and rare flowering plant. It belongs to the daisy family, just like sunflowers and dandelions!
This unique plant is found in only two places in California: Solano and Contra Costa Counties. It grows in a specific area called the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. It also lives in the Suisun Marsh, which is a large wetland. The Carquinez goldenbush loves to grow in alkali flats, which are areas with soil rich in minerals and often a bit salty.
What Does the Carquinez Goldenbush Look Like?
The Carquinez goldenbush is a small, bushy plant. It's called a subshrub because it's woody at the bottom but smaller than a typical shrub. It usually grows to be about half a meter (20 to 60 inches) tall and wide. Its stems stand up straight and have many branches.
Stems and Leaves
The stems of this plant are a bit hairy. They hold small, gray-green leaves. These leaves are not thick or fleshy, and they have tiny glands on them. Each leaf is less than 2 centimetres (0.79 in) long.
Flowers
The flowers of the Carquinez goldenbush grow in clusters. These clusters are made up of thick, round flower heads. Each head looks like a small capsule. It's covered in layers of greenish, glandular phyllaries, which are like small, protective leaves.
At one end of the flower head, you'll see 10 to 13 golden yellow disc florets sticking out. These are tiny, tube-shaped flowers. Unlike some daisies, the Carquinez goldenbush does not have any ray florets. Ray florets are the petal-like flowers you see on the outside of a sunflower or a typical daisy.
